By Delphine Allaire & Linda Bordoni

As the people of Hungary and the participants of the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress taking place in Budapest prepare to welcome Pope Francis on Sunday for the closing Mass, the Congress itself is in full swing, with a rich programme of Masses, concerts, exhibits, testimonies, and a film festival.

Organizers of the Congress point out that the gathering is a unique opportunity for the more than one billion Catholics in the world to focus on the centrality of the Eucharist in Christian life.

The Budapest event is also an occasion to discover Hungary’s 1,100-year history of faith and respect for tradition, and a long-standing relationship between the country’s Church and State.

The Hungarian Ambassador to the Holy See, Eduard Habsburg-Lothringen told Vatican Radio’s Delphine Allaire that the people of Hungary view the Pope’s presence in Budapest as “a real gift.”